May The Force Be With Felicity

FELICITY JONES has been enlisted to star as the female lead in a forthcoming Star Wars film. The British actress has been named by The Hollywood Reporter while the project is currently shrouded in secrecy.

The writer and director have been revealed - Chris Weitz and Gareth Edwards respectively - and actors Aaron Paul and Edgar Ramirez are said to be in the running for the male lead. Unlike the forthcoming sequel - Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which is part of the original series - the film will be one of two standalones focusing on Han Solo and Boba Fett.

Jones - who is nominated for a Best Actress BAFTA on Sunday, and for an Oscar for her role in The Theory of Everything - is currently promoting True Story, in which she stars with James Franco and Jonah Hill, and is now filming A Monster Calls, a family fantasy co-starring Liam Neeson and Toby Kebbell.

The revelation comes just after it was revealed that Carrie Fisher's daughter, Billie Lourd, will play the young Princess Leia in the new Star Wars movie alongside her mother who will reprise her original role.